2024 Do Son buffalo fighting festival held

The 2024 Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival was held on September 21 or the 19th of the lunar August instead of the 9th, as the host Do Son district is among the localities in Hai Phong city hardest hit by Typhoon Yagi.

A total of 16 buffaloes from six wards joined the competitions at the traditional festival.

In his opening speech, Tran Khac Kien, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Do Son district, emphasised the cultural significance of the festival.

It said the festival is a long-standing tradition linked to the worship of water deities and sacrificial rituals. It reflects the bravery and martial spirit of the local coastal people as they strive to conquer nature and master the seas, praying for favourable weather, abundant harvests, and prosperity.

Having been restored and developed over the past 35 years, the festival has grown in both size and quality, while preserving its original folk elements and cultural values. In 2012, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognised it as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

TB (according to VNA)